Saturday, September 2nd, 2023 | School of Art and Culture at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in East San Jose

Much gratitude and love to everyone in person and in spirit for joining us a month ago in East San Jose for our 7 year anniversary Homecoming party, live performance showcase, release of our inaugural Về Ăn Khuya zine, dance party fundraiser, and more!  Our community raised a generous $8409.62 that day!

GRATITUDE

OUR EMCEES!

An Bùi is a poet, therapist, and water rooster who was born in Việt Nam and raised in San José. Through her writing, she navigates family dynamics, queer Catholic Vietnamese identity, and grief. Her work has been featured in Autostraddle, La Raíz Magazine, Essential Truths: The Bay Area in Color, and more. When she’s not writing, she’s supporting youth and families in their mental health journeys, dreaming of intergenerational healing, and catching as many sunsets as possible. IG @anonymousbui

Irene (they/them) is a non-binary poet, performer and drama therapist. They are passionate about helping others heal through embodied expression and play. Through poetry, they explore themes of queerness, family, and Viet identity. You can also catch them dancing to bachata or pole in their spare time. IG @irenevban

OUR PROGRAM ARTISTS! (in show order)

Total (they/them) - Singing:  "Nếu Điều Đó Xẩy Ra" written by: (sáng tác Ngọc Châu)

Tố Tồ is a multi-explorer: engineer, tinkerer, sometimes a hairstylist, musician, dancer, and ideator born in Minnesota, and now lives in San Jose, CA. They like to sing and ballroom dance to Nhạc Vàng Golden Music and other Viet Bolero songs. Today, they are singing Nếu Điều Đó Xẩy Ra (If that day comes) by written by Ngọc Châu.

Mơ (they/them) - Comedy

Mơ is a dreamer of queer trans love & liberation. The stage is Mơ’s playground for creative expressions. Every QTViet showcase is their debut-  a practice of beginning anew- from monologue, to poetry with nhóm “không nói nữa”, to rap feature in Innoviet’s song, to ancestral dance offering to drag performances. Now, they are making their stand-up debut, bringing laughter medicine to the QTViet space. 

Kayla Lê (they/them)- Poetry: "A skeleton in the closet"

kayla lê is a multidisciplinary artist born and raised in eastside san jose. growing up in a conservative Catholic community, they only recently have been able to explore their gender identity as a trans non-binary person. though they have predominantly been focused on dancing for the past 17 years since they were 3, they also enjoy painting, drawing, writing, and poetry, which they will be showcasing tonight. in their poem “a skeleton in the closet,” they use the popular  idiom to describe their experiences with internalized transphobia and their journey with self-acceptance.

Phibi (they/any) - Poetry: "Love Diaspora"

phibi is a bisexual non-binary Viet artist from San Diego. They recently fell in love with the general genre of romance works, which helped inspire this piece. They believe love and tenderness generates new opportunities that could not exist before. 

Cô Thảo Nguyễn - Intergenerational Q&A

Auntie Thao Nguyen, or lovingly known as Irene’s mama, will be coming up to the stage to share her experiences of learning to love Irene through their sexuality.

Jean (they/them) - Art & Zine Curator

Jean joined the QTViet Cafe Collective 5 years ago. They grew up down south in Orange County’s Little Saigon, but really came to grow into their Vietnamese-ness by kicking it with QTViets. They love Mariah Carey, oil painting, and talking about The Good Wife. This year, Jean helped to curate and design the Homecoming zine, which they hope you will cherish and read through!

Andy (he/him) - Dance: Min - "CÀ PHÊ" & Thuy - "girls like me don’t cry"

Andy is a Vietnamese American that has lived in San Jose since he was 4 years old and has been dancing for 6 years! Starting in highschool on a junior competitive team (mvp San Jose) that was so close to (commonality) when he turned 18 he finally joined his first competitive adult team ready to take on more challenges.

OUR DJS!

DJ Nessrock is queer female artist with a rich musical pedigree. With a deep-rooted passion for music, her journey began at a young age, honing her skills through various instruments. DJ Nessrock's turntable technique took her to stages of all kinds from a hobbyist, to a professional. She's provided a soundtrack from Club Events, Weddings, Silicon Valley Pride, Queer Proms, and everything in between. With over 10 years of experience, she knows just how to curate sets for any atmosphere. DJ Nessrock stands as a proud advocate for the LGBTQ+ community by leading workshops and teaching others her craft, contributing to a more inclusive and vibrant musical landscape as well as a safe place for everyone to learn and grow together. With a diverse background and an unwavering commitment, DJ Nessrock continues to make her mark, fusing genres and breaking down barriers with every beat she drops. IG @djnessrock

Ashflow is a versatile Bay Area DJ known for blurring genre boundaries, with a focus on hip hop, r&b, and funky edits. She has rocked events across the Bay, from corporate parties to club nights and fundraisers, even performing at promotions for Jay Park and Snakehips. Beyond the decks, Ashflow is a strong advocate for gender equality, working to break barriers for women in male-dominated fields like Tech, Real Estate, and DJing. She's an active member of @ladiesfirstdjclub_bayarea, a collective dedicated to helping women thrive in the industry. IG @_ashflow

RELEASE OF LỬA THỬ VÀNG: QTVIỆT ARTISTRY IN THE DIASPORA (VIDEO)